Sewing-machine presser foot



Jan. '1; 1929. y 1,697,571

A. A. MERRTT ET AL SEWING MACHINE PRESSER FOOT Original Filed Aug. 3. 1918 Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

AU1\J1T1:-:D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR A. MERRITT', OE EDeEWooD, RHODE ISLAND, AND JOHN F. GETLER, or NEW .'HARTEORD, NEW YORILAssIGNoRs rro WILLooX a GIBBs SEWING MACHINE co., OE NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SEWING-MACHINE PRESSER FOT.`

Application led August 3, 1918, Serial N o. 248,139. Renewed January 25, 1926.

The present'invention relatesto presseri feet for sewing machines. Although designed especially for use with what is known commercially as the Willcox & Gibbs Sewing Machine Companys Flatloek machineshown for example in patents to Stockton Borton 1,041,574, and to A. A. Merritt 1,041,652, .both dated October 15th, 1912, and producing the seam of Borton Patent 883,614, dated March 31st,*1908-this invention is not restricted to use with any particular typel or make of sewing machine.

The principal object attained by this invention is the provision of a sewing-machine presser-foot capable of affording approximately equal-feed control and uniform advance of the work at both sides of a seam when a certain thickness ofv material or fabric Qeither one or more layers) at one edge is to be joined to a different thickness (either one or more layers) at the other edge of the seam. A further object is to provide a presser-foot capable of so functioning regardless of the positionof the greater thickness-of material at one or the other edge of the seam and of its use upon like thicknessesv of material at both edges of the seam. Another object is to -provide means,.prefer ably in the form of one or more attachments, capable ofl vbeing applied to presser-foot structures already in use or known, to give the same the capacity of functioning in the manner above indicated. Incidental to the attainment of the foregoing objects, there 'is attained thev further object ofl providing parts which may be cheaply replaced to overcome defects from wear caused by the action of the feed means. Still other objects are attained as will appear from the detailed description which follows.

The novel features of invention will be more fully 'explained with reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating what is now believed to be the preferred embodiment of the invention in a presser-foot especially intended for use on a machine of the character of the aforesaid Flatloek machine. In said drawing- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the presserfoot, with the trimmings deector partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is a front view in which part of the presser-foot and part of the arm Awhich-'carries the movable trimmer'blade are shown in elevation, and in which the work-plate, feed-member, and part of the work-arm supporting the work-plate, are shown in transverse section. Two thicknesses of fabric under one side of the presser-foot are to be joined to a single thickness of fabric underv 50 the other side thereof. f

Fig. 3 is a side elevation from the left of Fig. 2, with the two thicknesses of fabric in section.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation from the right 65 of Fig.v 2, with the single thickness of fabric in section and the movable trimmer-blade and its actuating arm omitted.

Fig. 5 is -a detail perspective of fone of the spring'bottoms of the presser-foot. 70

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the work contacting parts of the presser-foot, with dotted line positions of the spring bottoms showing .v l

the adaptability thereof to be spread apart and widen the slot between said spring botu toms to pass abnormal thickness of material, as in the case of a cross seam. Fig. 7 is a .detail view illustrating stop- Y means to limit the spread of the spring bottoms at their rear ends.

Fig. `8 is a detail of I'the trimmingsde lector.

In many particulars the presser-foot here-l in illustrated is substantiallythat of Figs. 46 and 47 of the aforesaid Merritt Patent 85 No. 1,041,652. 30 is the main body of the foot having a split hub 31 adapted to be securely clamped to the lower end of a j presser-,foot bar movable inthe head of the machine, a portion of the wall of which is shown at 80 in Fig. 1,. The usual spring 81, the tension of which maybe adjusted by'a nut 82, yieldingly presses the foot against the work while permitting vertical vibration thereof in response to upward movements of the feed. A cross-thread carrier 32, a cross-thread hook 33,' driving connections therefor, and the mounting of these parts on the foot-body 30, are substantially 'the same as in the said Figs. 46 and 47 of 100 said Merritt patent. Thus, said hook 33 is removably secured by a set-screw to the lower end of an upright shaft 34, Fig. 1,` rotatable in an extension of the footbody 30. A rock-lever 36 (Fig. 1) secured to the upper end of shaft 34 has a long arm and a short arm, the latter connected by link 37 to a driving part not shown. in they drawing. The long arm extendsin a curve to a pivotal connection with one end ofa link 38, the other end of said link-being in turn pivotally connected to crank-arm 39 at the uplper end of a shaft 40 journaled in an uprig t opening, in the foot body. .Cross-l of the highest eiiiciency. But, in operations l upon fabric of materially dierentthicknesses under opposite sides of the foot-as where the edge of a single thickness of heavy fabric-is to be joined to the edge ofa double thickness of the same fabric-the liftingof the foot by the' greater thickness of material under one side thereof interferes with the satisfactory engagement of the foot with the lesser thickness of material under the other side thereof, and consequently with the feed of the material or fabric by the feed-means.

threadcarrier 32 is detachably secured to "The means of the present invention 'eilithe lower endof shaft 40. The cross-thread hook 33 and carrier 32 operate in the manner set forth in the patents aforesaid.

The horizontally disposed flattened portion of the foot-body30, which extends forward ofwhat constitutes the shank of the foot is notched, forming two toes or branches 41, 42 (Fig. 1) between which the upturned edges of the fabric advance and are trimmed by the trimmer-blade. Fixed trimmer-blade 43 is secured in a horizontal opening through toe 42 by a. clamp-block 44 and screw 45 (Figs. 1 and 2). Movable trimmer-blade 46 works in a horizontal opening through toe 41 and is clamped to the lower end of the trimmer-arm 47 Fig. 1, which is the same in construction-and operation as arm 643 of Fig. 47 of the aforesaid Merritt Patent 1,041,652, the construction being such that the upper movable blade 46 bears upon the upper surface of fixed blade 43 and, with its arm 47, participates in any upward movement of the presser-foot and of blade 43. To deflect to one side the trimmings removed by the trimmer-blades, a deector 48 is pivoted by a screw' 49 to toe 41; It may be -swung outward on said pivot-screw, from its normal position shown in Fig. 1, to give access to the thread manipulating elements. 50 (Figs. 1 and 6) is a needle-opening through the presser-foot. 51 (Figs. l and 7) is a. chaining-foot positioned in an opening through the foot to the rear of said needleopening, the same as shown in the patents aforesaid. A stem 52 on said chaining-foot 51 projects upward into a socket 0f the footbody 30, and is acted upon by a spring 53 (Fig. 7) to yieldingly hold the chaining-foot to its work. -A screw 54 threaded into stem 52 with its -head movable in a slot in the wall of 30 limits the movement of the chainingfoot relative to the main foot. ,Any suitable feed may be used, either single or double,

such as shown in the patents aforesaid. Fig.

2 shown a feed member 55 working through cloth-plate 56 (also shown in Figs. 3 and 4)\` supported by a work-arm 57. The structure as thus far described in detail is substantially' that of the patents ciently meet such conditions, and may be in the form of an attachment, or attachments, removably applicable to a presser-foot, such as hereinbefore described, and which with- .out such spring members is suitable for use thereof. It is made of a flat strip of spring metal, preferably steel, slightly bowed along its middle and bent over at its opposite ends, similar to the runner of a boys sled. The forward bent end 61 fits toe 42 of, the foot and is secured thereto by a screw 62. .The

hooked re'a'r end of bottom 60 engages about the rear edge of the foot proper forming a' loose .connection thereto allowin freedom of longitudinal mov'ement, as t e bowed bottom is flattened more or less against the normal bottom surface of the foot proper,` and alsofreedom of lateral movement under conditions presentl described. Inaddition to thus roviding or attachment of the flatspring va nce, under the foot.

70 is a similar foot bottom extending be- `relatively shaped as to fit about the chaining-foot 51 and 'clear the needle-opening 50,

ottom member to the foot proper,l the rounded surfaces formed by the bending of the spring at both ends avoid angular edges to be passed by the material in its adsaid edges standing closest together at 64 f and 74 just in front of said needle-opening, from whence they gradually diverge to their forward ends Thus the inner edge of each member, from approximately` the front end of the member back to the needle opening 50, is inclined at an angletoward the Vertical median` longitudinal plane of the. presserfoot. Furthermore, the inner edges of said members between the opposing portions 64 and 74 and the bottom surface of the main body 30 of the presser-foot, form a shallow groove along the bottom of the presser-foot extending from the rear end of the slot back to the needle opening 50. The upstanding trimmed fabric edges are crowded and compacted together in this groove as they pass under the presser-foot back to the needle opening; As also appears, there is an offset, or approximately right angle shoulder, in the inner edge' of each flat spring-bottom member. just in adyance of the needle opening. Abnormal thickness of material-for thickness of material passes the members spring 4back to their normal positions shown in full lines, Fig. 6. Such spreading may be limited, if desired, by any suitable means, for example the rod 86 hooked at both ends to engage hooks 63 and 73 respectively of the fiat-spring bottom members, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. ff

As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the presserv foot is operating upon twothicknesses of material or fabric under the left-hand side thereof to be joined to asingle thickness of material under'the right-hand side thereof. The spring pressure exerted' by the regular presser-foot spring 81, being more powerful than the spring power .of either, or both, spring bottoms 60 and 70, {iat-spring bottom 60 in engagement with the double thickness i of material is iiattened firmly into contact with the surface of the foot proper. At the same time the flat-,spring bottom 70, still bowed outward from the bottom of the foot proper, as shown in Fi 4, makes firm yielding engagement with t e single thickness of material under .the right-hand side of the foot. The material so held is uniformly advanced under both sides of the foot by the feed (see feed-member of Fig. 2 for example) ynotwithstanding the different thicknesses. Obviously, if the two thicknesses of -material were under the'right-hand side of the foot and th single thickness under the left-hand side, the action of .the flat-springv bottom members would be reversed. In thus automatically accommodating itself to differences and variations in thickness of material, the presser-,foot is enabled to maintain a firm and distributed pressure upon Ythe work against the cloth-plate and feed members, and to 4afford an even feed at both sides of the seam regardless of differences and variations inthe thickness of material. If a lesser thickness of material is to be regularly fed under the same side of the foot, the flatspring bottom member may be omitted at that side. But to make the foot universally serve to take the-wear of the cooperating feed memberv or members, particularly wear caused bythe teeth thereof. When worn to an extent to become defective, said bottoms can be cheaply replaced without the loss of an entire foot and of expensive repairs thereto. What is claimed is '1, A sewing .machine presser-foot having two flat-springl bottom members acting to independently yieldingly engage work'thereunder at opposite sides respectively of a median vertical plane extending longitudinally of the foot. f. Y

2. A sewing machine presser-foot having two flat-spring bottom members yatvopposite sides thereof respectively, and acting to independently yieldingly engagework thereunder. f

3. A sewing machine presser-foot notched at its forward end with ortions of the foot lying on .both sides of said notch and having twoiat-spring bottom members extending along the footat opposite sides respectively of said. notch and actin to independently yieldingly engage work t ereunder. f

4. A sewing machine presser-foot having two work contacting bottom members movable one relatively tothe other in a lateral direction to permit the passage of `material between the opposing edges thereof.

5. A sewing machlne presser-foot having two work contacting bottom members separated by an intervening space and mounted on the foot to` yieldingly spread apart one relatively to the other in va lateral direction to increase the intervening space.

6. A sewing machine presser-foot having on its bottom `two work contacting members separated. by an intervening' spae longitudinally of the foot and adapted to be spread further apart one relatively to the other in a lateral direction Vby the passage of.

material between the inner edges thereof.

7'. A sewing machine presser-foot having on its bottom two fiat-spring .members .acting to independently yieldingly engagework thereunder, said members being separated by an intervening space longitudinally of the ther apart4 one relatively tothe-other in a lateral direction by the passage of material between the inner edges thereof.

8. -A sewing machine presser-foot having ,a Hat-spring bottom member secured at one end to the foot-body and at its other end having a loose connection to said foot-body.

9.. A sewing. machine presser-foot having foot and adapted to vyieldingly spread furbody,

. 11.l A sewmg machine presser-foot having two'i'flat-spring bottom members` at opposite and away from said under facel adapted to compensate for variations in theV thickness of the work.

17. A device of the class described having in. combinatioma foot, and resilient workengaging members secured to the forward portion of said foot and extending toward the rear adjacent to the under face lof said foot, said resilient vmembers curving downwardly relatively to said under face adapted to contact therewith and to engage the Work under opposite sides of said foot and to c omsidesrespectively of the bottom lo f the `foot, `pensate for 'variations in the thickness of said bottom members being adapted to yieldingly accommodate themselves to engagementfwith material of one thickness under vone member and of a different thickness under the other member. 12. The combination with` a presser-feet complete for ordinary use, of two flat-spring bottom member attachments adapted to yieldingly-faengage the work and applied to the foot to V'extend longitudinally' thereof over opposite sides respectively of the normal work contacting bottom surface thereof.

13. As an article of manufacture, a flatspring Work contacting bottom member bowed between its ends to engage a presserfoot at both sadends and to stand away from said foot at its middle portion, Said spring being adapted to be attached to a sewing machine presser-foot and yieldingly 'engage work passing under said foot and being bent at one end to it over an end portion of the presser-foot.

14. A device of the class described having, in combination, a foot provided with a needle hole, and a resilient member arranged in vertical alignment with and beneath the material forming the under face of said foot,

extending longitudinall thereof fast thereto at one end thereof an having its opposite longitudinally extending edges located at one side of a median vertical plane extending longitudinally of said foot and through said needle hole, whereby variations inV the thickness of the work on opposite sides of said plane may be compensated for.

15. A device of the class described having, in combination, a foot and a pair of parallelly disposed resilient members arranged beneath and in vertical alignment with the material forming the under face of said foot, extending longitudinally thereof on opposite sides, respectively, and fast thereto at one end thereof and adapted to compensate for yariations in the thickness of the work on opposite sides of said foot.

16. A device ofv the class described having, in combination, afoot and a pair of relatively movable resilient members arranged at opposite sides of said foQt beneath and in vertical alignment With the material forming the under face thereof and movable toward the work. Y

18. A device of the class described havingin combination a foot provided with a needle hole, a pair of resilient work-engaging mem-'- bers secured to the forward ortion of said foot and extendingrearwar lyadjacent to the under face of said foot and having slidable engagement with the rear portion of 'said face, Said work-engaging members curving downwardly intermediate Vof. their' for-V ward and rear ends and adapted to engage the work at points upon opposite sides of and adjacent to said hole and compensate for differencesinthe thickness of the work upo opposite sides of said hole.

19. A device of the class described having in combination a foot, and a pair of flat metal springs arranged adjacent to opposite sides 'of the under face of said foot, opposite ends of said springs engaging the front and rear portions of said foot, said springs curving downwardly away from said under face intermediate of their ends to yieldingly engage andoperate work of different thicknesses. i

20. A device of the class described having in combination, a foot provided with a needle hole, and a pair of work-engaging members arranged at opposite sides of said hole adjacent to the working face of said foot, said members being relatively, yieldingly movable toward and from said working face, the opposed edges of said members extending toward eachother to form a relatively narrow space in front of said hole, said edges gradually' recedingfrom each other lfrom said relatively narrow portion toward the forward portion of -said foot.

21. A device of the class describedhavingin combination, a foot and a pair of relatively resilient Work-engaging members arranged side by side and extending from the forward toward the rear portion of said foot, the opposed edges of said members being formed to provide relatively 'wide and nar- -row spaces therebetween.

22. A device of the class described having, I

in combination, a foot provided with a needle hole and a resilient work-engaging member securedto the forwardportion of said foot y and extending rearwardly along opposite to 3 .engage the work.

and beneath the under face of said footand having slidable engagement with the rear lportion of said face, said work lengaging member curved downwardly intermediate 5 its forward' and rear ends and adapted to engage the work at points at one side of and i lof said foot, with jthe forward end'of the spring bent over and secured to the forward end of the foot, said spring curved downwardlyaway from saidV under face interme iate of its ends to yieldingly engage and operrate upon work of different thicknesses.

24 A device of the classdescribed having, in combination, a footl and a metal spring ar'- ranged beneath and in vertical alignment with the material forming the under face of 25 said foot at one .side thereof and slidably engaging the rear portion of said foot andl curved downwardly away from said under face intermediate of its ends to yieldingly 25. A .device of the classdescribcd having, in combination, a foot provided with a needle hole anda work-engaging member arranged at one side of said needle hole adjacent to the working face of said foot.

and fast to the front end of said foot, said member being relatively yieldingly movable toward and from said working face, the inner edge of said member being inclined from the front end thereof at an angle l at one si e only of said notch whereby it is toward the vertical median longitudinal plane of said presser foot as it approaches said needle hole.

26. A device ofthe class described having, in combination, a foot provided with a needle hole and a Working-engaging member arranged at one side of said hole adjacent to the workin face of said foot, said member being relatlvel -yieldingly movable toward and from sai working face, the inner edge of said member extending toward the vertical median longitudinal plane of said presser foot to form a relatively narrow space between it and said plane in front of said hole, said inner edge gradually .receding from said median plane as it apf proaches the forward portion of said foot.

27. A sewing machine presser-foot having two fiat-spring bottom members beneath the bottom surface of the foot and positioned to engage different portions of the workpassing under the foot and acting to independently yieldingly engage said work.

28. A sewing machine presser-foot notched at its forward end having two flatspring bottom members each attached to' the foot at one end, said bottom members-'extending along the 4foot at opposite sides respectively of'said -notch 'and acting to independently yieldingly engage. work thereunder.

bers positioned beneath the body of the foot yandto engage different portions of work passing under both of said members.

30. The combination of a presser-foot having a notch extending rearwardly from thelv -ve 0 29. A sewing machine presser-foot.` hav-A ing ilat-'sprlng work contacting bottom .mem-

front end thereof in which upstanding 'fabric is adapted to be advanced and trimmed before it reaches the stitch forming par-ts, a horizontally operating trimming mechanism including relatively movable bladesk cooperating vat their cutting edges in said.

notch to trim fabric advancing therein, said presser-foot Ahaving a vertically yieldable Hat-spring fabric-engaging bottom member at one side only of said notch and also havy ing another vertically yieldable flat-spring fabric-engaging bottom member at the otherside only of said notch whereby it is adapted to properly engage fabric sections of different thicknesses on'opposite sides of the notch.

3 1. The combinationl of a presser-foot having a notch extending rearwardly from-tbe front end thereof in which upstanding fab.- ric is adapted to be advanced and trimmed before it reaches the stitch forming parts,

a horizontally operating trimming mecha'- nism includingA relatively movable blades cooperating at their cuttin edges in said notch to` 'trim fabric advancing therein, said resser-foot having a vertically yieldable at-sprin fabric-engaging bottom member adapted to properly engage fabric sections of different thicknesses on opposite sides of the notch. 1

32. A sew-ing machine presser-foot havirg a main body and a bottom member detachably and replaceably secured to said main body and having a bottom surface for engaging the work and taking the wear of aT cooperating feed member and at its opposite ends engaging around and over the edge of the body.

33. A sewing machine presser-foot having 34. The combination of a presser-foot having a fabric guiding slot extending rearwardly from the front endthereof and having a needle opening in rear. of and in line with said slot and a trimming mechanism operating to trim fabric upstanding in and which ber lying under sai assing along said slot, the work engaging bottom surface of the presser-foot being constituted by two members detachably secured to the main body of the foot, the inner edges of said members being spaced apart to form a groove extending from the rear end of said slot to the needle opening and in oove lfabric is adapted' to 'travel after being trimmed by said trimming mech- 35. The combination of a' presser-foot having a fabric guiding slot extending rear! wardly from the front end thereof and having a needle'opening in rear of .and in line with said slot 'and a trimming mechanism operating to trim fabric upstanding in and assing along said slot, the Work en aging ottom surface of the presser-foot inc uding ltwo vertically members mounte on the main body o the foot with their inner edges spaced apart to form a groove extending from the rear end of said slot to the-needle opening and in which groovel fabric is .adapted to travel after being trimmed by said trimming mechanism.kv

36. The combination in a presser-foot, of a main foot body having therein a fabric iding slot extending rearward from the ilont end thereof and a needle opening in rear'of said slot;` a trimming mechanism' for trimming upstanding fabric advancing in said slot; a vertically ieldable fabric-engaging member mounte on said main foot bo y and having an inner `inclined .fabric a portion of said memmain foot body extending from the rear end of said slot to said needle opening'.

37.-A resser-foot havin in combination, a main oot section provi ed withaa fabric engaging edge along o uiding slot extending rearward from the ont end thereof and a needle opening in rear of said slot; a trimming-mechanism for trimming upstanding fabric advancing inl said slot;a fabric-engaging member vertically yieldable with relation to said main foot section which memberhas an inner inclined fabric-engaging edge along a ortion thereof which extends beneath sai main foot-section' from the rearend of said slot towards saidv needle opening; and a vertically yieldable fabric-engaging member in Avrear of and in line with said needle opening.

38. In a presser-foot for sewing machines, the combination of'a supporting shank; a main foot section rigid with said shank and having a bottom fabric-engaging surface; two yielding` fabric-engaging members mounted on said main footsection and extending along said bottom fabric-engaging surface with their inner edges spaced apart the spacefbetween saidedg es constituting a l channel in which fabric travels and isy guided in its passage -along the presser-foot. 39. In a presser-foot, the'combination of yield ieldable" fabric-enga ing a main foot `body`having a fabric-guiding slot extending rearwardly from the front end thereof and having aneedle openingin rear of, said slot; a trimming mechanism fop erating to trim fabric upstanding in and passing on and extending beneath said main foot body and having their Iinner edges relatively near together in advance of said 'needle opening 'rear of said slot; a trimming mechanism 0perating to `trim fabric 'upstanding in and passing along said slot; and two vertically yieldable flat spring fabric-engaging memalong said slot; and two vertically I e fabric-engaging members mounted- 11's and offset away from each other at' said openers mounted on and extending beneath said main foot body and having their'inner edges relatively near together V`in advance of said needle opening and otfset'away from each other at said opening.

41. In apresser-foot,` the combination'ofa main foot body having a needle opening; and two vertically yieldable fabric-engaging members mountedon and extending beneathv said main foot body with their inner edges relatively near together in advance of said l needle opening and offset away from each other at said opening. A f

42. InA a presser-foot,` the combi-nationfof vslot extending rearwardlyjfrom the front beneath said main 'foot ,v

end thereof 'and having a needle opening in rear of said slot; a trimming mechanism operating to trim fabric upstanding in and. passin y'elda le flatspring fabric-*engaging memr mounted` on and extending beneath said main foot body-'and havin its inner edge oii'- set in advanceof said nee le opening.

44. In a presser-foot, the combination with a main footibody having a -needle opening.

and a bottom surface -portion adapted to engage downwardly upon the fabric; and Aai` vertically yieldable fabric engagingmember mounted on and extending beneath said main foot body along said fabric-engaging bottom` surface portion thereof and aving its in ner edge offset in advance' of said needle opening.

11'51 along said slot; and' a vertically l bowedbetween its endsfto engage a presserpresser-foot..V .l l e foot at both ends and to stand away from-said In testimony .whereof-We hay/e l.signed this 45. yAs van artielefof; manufactureia'atassing undef said bent at spring work f' contacting 'bottom member 0th ends to t-o of the- 5 footatits middle portion, said spring being specification. l adapted to be attached to la sewing machine v ARTHUR A. MERRITT.

presser-foot and yieldingly engage work l F; GETLER. 

